Amit Shah retracts poll statement, says BJP will decide

Ahmedabad, Oct 29: In a quick U-turn from his statement that he would contest the upcoming Assembly polls, former

minister of state for Home,

tonight said his statement was misconstrued by media. "It is for the party (

) to decide whether to give me ticket or not," Shah said.

Shah, a BJP MLA and a close aide of chief minister Narendra Modi, is an accused in Soharabuddin Sheikh and Tulsi Prajapati fake encounter cases.

He is currently out on bail. Earlier in the day, Shah told reporters on the sidelines of a press meet that "I will not only be contesting the elections, but I am going to win this time also with comfortable margins."

"Last time, I had won from Sarkhej Assembly seat with the margin of over 2.50 lakh votes. Now, after the delimitation, it has been divided into three constituencies - Vejalpur, Ghatlodia and Naranpura. I can win from any of these with comfortable margins," he said.

Shah addressed media at a press-meet organised to announce the Central Board of Cricket Ahmedabad elections.

The Supreme Court last month allowed Shah to return to Gujarat after rejecting CBI's plea to cancel the bail granted to him in Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case. Since his return, Shah had been keeping a low profile and stayed away from public functions as well as media.

PTI